Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756-1791

Developments in Opera

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:Opera abandons Greek gods for contemporary plots
with flesh-and-blood characters. The story becomes as important as the music.
Every note of music helps tell the story.

The Masterworks

The Marriage of Figaro:Clever servants outwit their philandering master.
A joyous masterpiece of comedy, sentiment, and-on the eve of the French
Revolution-liberal politics.

Don Giovanni:The story of a man who loves then leaves every woman he meets.
Hilariously un-PC and terrifying at the same time.

The Magic Flute:A prince tries to steal a princess away from a wizard, but
winds up joining the wizard’s brotherhood of light and truth. A fun-filled fairy
tale as well as a profound allegory about the Age of Enlightenment.